I love my Bibles, and if you have followed me for a while, you know how much joy creative faith brings me. But there is a hidden trap in this hobby that no one wants to talk about.
Sometimes, our beautiful journaling can actually become the very thing that keeps us away from God.
I am guilty of falling into all three of these traps myself. I want to share them with you honestly so we can guard our hearts and keep our eyes focused on what truly matters.
Trap 1: Aesthetics Over a Personal Relationship
How many times do we sit down and obsess over picking the perfect colors, the exact right washi tapes, and all the beautiful stickers?
There is nothing wrong with wanting a beautiful Bible. But if we are more worried about our pages being postable than about building an authentic relationship with God, we have a problem.
Bible journaling is supposed to be a tool to help you study, understand God’s character, and grow deep roots. Ask yourself honestly: Are you building an art portfolio, or are you building a relationship with Jesus?
Trap 2: The “Perfect Time” Trap
This is exactly how the enemy tries to keep us out of the Word. We say to ourselves, “I will sit down to study and journal when the kids are asleep,” or “when the house is completely quiet,” or “after all my work is done.”
But as mothers, that perfect, quiet time rarely comes!
I have three small children. If I waited for the perfect moment to sit down with all my journaling supplies, I would never open my Bible at all.
To beat this trap, I have to separate my “daily bread” reading from my deep creative study time:
- By My Bed: I keep a simple reading Bible right next to my bed at all times. This is the Bible I read every single morning and evening just to consume my daily bread, even when life is loud and messy.
- On My Desk: I keep my creative journaling Bible on my desk. If I happen to have extra time during the day, I will sit down there to do a deeper study and add notes or art.
Don’t let the desire for a perfect journaling session rob you of simply reading God’s Word today.
Trap 3: Relying on Commentary Over the Holy Spirit
When we sit down to journal, we often feel a pressure to fill the empty margins with deep theological notes. We think, What is a journaling Bible if it doesn’t have notes all over it?
So, what do we do? We open up a commentary book or search online, and we copy and paste someone else’s notes. But when we do that heavily, we are just writing down another person’s interpretation instead of asking the Holy Spirit to teach us directly.
Before you touch your pens or your commentary books, sit quietly and pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom, truth, and understanding for exactly what you need in your life today.
And if you don’t know what to write? Leave the page empty. It is completely okay! You can come back to that same chapter in ten days, a month, or a year, and write something down when the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to it.
Mamas, let’s look at our beautiful pages and ask: Did I actually understand what I read today? Did my soul receive spiritual nourishment, or was I just plainly writing things out to look pretty?
Let’s lay down the pressure of perfection and just pursue Jesus.
My Favorite Bibles & Tools:
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through the links below, which helps support my family and this blog at no extra cost to you. Thank you for blessing our home!
With love,
Ivana
